Very old friends of my parents (henceforth referred to as uncle and aunty) have come down for a visit from Mumbai. My parents reconnected with them without the help of facebook, orkut or the internet for that matter. It took a single phone call and though they are meeting after 20+ years, it doesn't seem like that.

They had last seen me when I was 1.5 years old. Aunty said I look the same (she said that twice). That is good news.

Knowing that my mom is an artist Uncle asked me what is it that I have learnt from her. I was about to smile and say nothing really when my dad interrupted and said 'She visited US.......and she cooked for herself'. Now, I'm sure my parents are proud of me but I think I need to pick up some skill like knitting or something. I mean, 'Yes she knits very well' is so much better than 'We raised a daughter who has life skills'. Also funny how 'visiting US' is considered as an achievement. Or at least a cover up for not being talented.

Uncle said my dad was the best engineer in the company. It is something I knew already but was good to hear that from someone who actually worked with him.

Aunty claims she knows astrology and on reading my horoscope says I have some defect which has something to do with snakes. I think what this means is I might be a parseltongue. I am thrilled.

Kyunki padosi bhi humans hai

Yesterday night as I prepared to turn to bed, I heard loud voices followed by sounds of wailing women. Curious and worried I looked out of the window only to see my neighbour's family fight right in the middle of the road. There was some yelling, name calling, scuffles and few tears. The girl was to get engaged the next day, an inter-cast wedding, a drunk father, a house full of relatives, the scene was set for a typical family drama except it wasn't happening behind close doors but in the open for all to see. I kept watching them for sometime guiltily, hiding behind the drapes. Trying to piece together what might be happening and guessing who was who. Soon I got bored, the voices drowned and the silence of the night took over.

The problem with Indian families is that we worry too much about others, what they think and this whole so called 'image'. We prefer pretending to be perfect and put up a show even if the pretending is causing more damage. When such a thing happens people sympathize but are secretly glad to know that they are not alone. That lives of others, green as it may seem is not always so.

I think we should all once in our lives come out in the open, scream/shout/fight and stop pretending to be perfect. Because no one is anyway.

Today, the girl's engagement party went on with pomp and show, no one in the family showing the slightest trace of what happened yesterday. Because thats one good thing about Indian families, we stick together no matter what, even if it is just to put up a face.

A letter.

Turns out I have been looking at life the wrong way all along. Am going on yet another hiatus. When I come back, things wont be the same. Be good.

So its my mom's birthday (tomorrow). And I announced I wanted to do something nice for her. This statement alone caused a lot of excitement at home and the focus shifted from actually planning the birthday to discussing what in the devil's name had gotten in to me. Anyhoo, I say 'May be I will cook a full course meal'. It has been over a year since I last entered the kitchen, my confidence levels in the kitchen aren't exactly 'full course meal cooking' worthy. Idea no. 1 dropped. Anybody can bake a cake but I am not anybody. Idea no. 2 went down the drain. Dinner at a nice restaurant? We are just back from a holiday and I cant take anymore of the 'nice restaurant dinner table conversations'. Idea 3 not even consider worthy. And then of course someone else comes up with that one brilliant plan, you wished you had thought of yourself. Movie! We never go out for a movie together. The only movie I have watched with my parents is umm errr.... Dr.Do Little. Yeah. Don't ask why. Coming back to the plan, we aren't going to watch any movie, we are watching The movie. The movie that people still haven't stopped raving about 3 months after its release. The movie that has broken all records, the movie that is so amazing it will tug at your heart (considering it is a Kannada movie, some add), the movie whose songs are still played on the radio, 100 times a day. (I love them btw) And when your dad knows the actor's name of a Kannada movie, there must be something to it. Yes, we are going to watch 'Mungaru Male'. And we are going to watch it in PVR. Parents are not movie friendly people so the fact that I was taking them to a fancy multiplex is a bonus. Except there is one small problem. YOU DON'T GET TICKETS TO ANY FRIGGING MOVIE ON A WEEKEND. I mean its just a movie. 3 months since the movie released, surely everyone must have watched it by now! No, you need a month's planning just to watch a movie!! Sheesh!! Good news is the theatre in our neighbourhood still has tickets. Thank God for small stand alone theaters. Never watching a movie in a multiplex ever. They are for the jobless who have no better business than to book tickets in advance so that they can act smug and sneer at the last minute decision makers like us. Get a life is what I say!

La la...we are watching The movie. Ganesh is it possible that you could wear a shirt in the movie just for me? Multi colured baniyans doesnt go well with me. I am thinking my parents will not like it either. Nothing much we can do about that I guess. Ganesh, if you didn't guess is the actor in the lead role. Not some random guy who wears baniyans. Lets just hope the movie doesn't disappoint.

Mungaru Maleye, yenu ninna hanigala leele.....

Almost forgot, happy birthday Mom!